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El Corte Ingles (literally translated as ´The English Cut´) is Spain´s most revered chain of department stores. Imagine the Spanish equivalent of Debenhams or Selfridges, selling everything from TVs to toasters, from magazines to make-up, from designer label fashions to discounted cruises – everything under one roof.
In a few selected stores you will find the El Corte Ingles food hall. Revered as the home of quality, fresh produce and the finest foods available in Spain, it is THE place to buy your grub. In fact, it´s been reported that El Corte Ingles in Marbella has the most expensive supermarket in Spain – mmmm, I wondered why it was so quiet!
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It´s January 7th, and I can report that the sales have officially started. At 11am this morning, I can testify that Zara in Marbella´s main shopping mall, La Cañada, was being torn apart by frantic bargain-hunters, and queues were stretching down the aisles of most shops.
Who can blame them with discounts of up to 60%?
In fact, in one shop, I witnessed quite an ugly example of queue jumping – the offender, a man in his 50s was told in no uncertain terms of the error of his ways by an elderly lady further back in the queue – it would have been comical had they not been so stressed.
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Ok, ok, I admit it – I´ve had a great time here in Marbella….and it seems the whole of Spain has enjoyed itself as well. What am I talking about? Well, it´s now the 6th January, and most Spanish workers have been off work since 24th December.
First, we had the traditional Xmas festivities concentrated around the 25th December, and although Boxing Day is a normal working day in Spain, many workers weren´t inclined to go anywhere near their workplace as it fell on a Friday…and who can blame them!
Perhaps some staggered into work for the last 3 days of December, but I can guarantee that there won´t have been many! After all, what´s the point?! Continue reading »
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Just 12 kilometres to the East of the centre of Marbella lies a district called Elviria.
Prior to the recent property boom on the Costa del Sol, Elviria was best known as the home of the prestigious (although rather ugly) Don Carlos 5 star hotel and the 18 hole golf course at Santa Maria Golf & Country Club.
Now, Elviria is a thriving tourist resort, with much to offer. In three distinct sections, Elviria offers something for everyone.
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So we´ve reached my favourite night of the year – NOT!
I hate it, I really do. I´ll be the one sobbing into his beer at midnight while everyone around me is doing the hokey-cokey or linking arms for Auld Lang Syne with relatives who they swore they couldn´t stand the sight of 10 minutes earlier! All this while complete strangers tell each other how mush they love each other while they pucker up for the traditional New Year´s Eve snog.
Aaaargh, I hate it….all that forced frivolity. And don´t think that you´ll be escaping the nightmare by taking your end of year holiday in Spain. I noticed that some of the bars in Puerto Banus are advertising ´Big Ben – LIVE at midnight´ - can someone explain how that´s going to work then? – won´t London be one gong short while we are counting down to midnight on the Costa del Sol. Oh, who cares! Continue reading »
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Spain isn´t perfect. For the majority of expats, Spain will never feel truly like ´home´.
But recently, I´ve got to thinking about the simple things in life, and now appreciate Spain so much more for being able to offer the simplest pleasures in life on a regular basis.
The weather is the key. While the UK and Northern Europe languishes in a dreary, grey blanket of cloud, incessant rain and freezing temperatures, Southern Spain basks in 320 days of sunshine. Continue reading »
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I recently returned to my Marbella property from the UK, having visited for a few days prior to Xmas. Sure, I was excited about seeing my friends and family, and was looking forward to an evening in the local pub and a spot of shopping in Liverpool´s latest shopping haven, Liverpool One.
Nothing could have prepared me for the reality. Is it just me, or is England ´going to the dogs´?
First of all, when you arrive at Liverpool airport, the first thing to greet you as you leave the plane is the howling wind and incessant rain as you descend the steps to the tarmac below. Has nobody ever heard of air-bridges in the provinces? Continue reading »
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Puerto Banus may have its glamorous side, but you really shouldn´t expect to stumble across dried vomit and dog crap once you step out of Louis Vuitton with your thousand euro handbag.
Complaints about the state of the place have been rising in recent years, and things seemed to reach a head in the summer, when Puerto Banus resembled places such as Playa de Las Americas and Benidorm, albeit with some of the best designer shopping and motor yachts in the world!
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For the first 7 years of my expat life on the Costa del Sol, i became accustomed to the typical Spanish supermarkets, amongst them Mercadona, Supersol, Euromarket. Imagine the scene in each – a row of bread, a row of olives, a row of tuna…oh, and a row of jamon. Ok, maybe this is an exaggeration, but for years I would be crying out for a little variety and a selection of ready meals.
In fact it got so bad that whenever I left my Marbella property to venture to the UK, I used to stand transfixed in Tesco, just dumbfounded by the range of products and the choice of fresh and chilled food available….and don´t get me started on Marks and Spencer food – my God, if there was one reason to return to the UK, this was surely it!! I swear I had to be dragged out of the Edinburgh M&S food hall the last time I went to see my sister!
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